Sleeve

Object ID
2010.30.21.B
Object Name
Sleeve
Date Created
1960s
Material
Cotton
Object Entities
Salimbene, Suzanne (owned by)
Salimbene, Suzanne (is related to)
Object Description
Set of decorative 3/4 length sleeves. Black embroidered bands with gold ribbons (3) applied with gold and silver ric-rac. Pink floral fabric in top half of sleeves, red plaid lining beneath decorative cuffs. Hook and eye closures at cuffs.

The bottom of the arm band there is a little piece of a fabric that is triangle-like shaped that is folded at the seam of the airband. There are thick rows of black wool that run the outside of the shapein the middle is red and blue plaid in the center with two strings of wavy gold ribbon. One ribbon is verticle and the other is horizontal. There is row made up of thick black string going in the horizontal direction. Then there is a line of wavy sliver yarn. There is a strip of gold ribbon with brown string creating a pattern on top of it. The pattern is a zig-zag with little brown rectangles in filling the gaps. On top of the gold strip is a string of wavy gold. Then another row of black yarn. The a thick strip of cream wool with brown sting creating a patern. The patter is four connect ovals with a rounded line going from the top of one oval to the bottom of another set of ovals. Above and below the oval are verticle lines. The open spaces is filled in with little sitches of brown yarn. The cream strip has wavy gold string above and below the strip. Then comes a row of black yarn. Then the same sliver string with gold strip with brown string pattern. Then there is another row of black yarn. The outside edge of the air band is a row of black yarn that is verticle. There is also a wavy gold string running the lenght of the black strip, in between the black strip and the patterns. One long side and a short side is unsewed. The long side has seven hooks to hook around the arm.

Above the knitted wool is a cotton sleeve that is about the same length as the wool section. The cotton has three petal pink flowers that are outlined in blue. The flowers are spread pretty evenly apart. In between the flowers are small circles that are outlined in blue. It is not sewed together at the top and about a third of the way down on one of the sides.

The interior of the sleeve is plaid where the outside is wool. The plaid is navy blue, yellow, and red on a cream cotton. The navy blue is the biggest section. Where the cotton flower fabric is, one just sees the back side of the pattern.
Origin
The donor lived in Greece from 1965-1982 and wore and owned the Sateataski costume.

This style of arm band came from the Sarakatsani people. Sarakatsani are indigenous people from Greek. They are nomatic people who live half the year in the mountains. Their art (song, pottery, dance, clothing design) resembles the geometric art of pre-classical Greece. Furthermore, Sarakatsani still practice traditional folk medicine. They are Greek Orthodox Christians and associate with Church of Greece. They begin their migration up the mountains on Saint George Day in April and return to the low plains on Saint Demetrius in October. Sarakatsanies have lived in countries surrounding Greece (Bulgaria, Albania, Republic of Macedonia). However, now there are only measurable numbers of people in Greece and Bulgaria. For women's outfits there are thirteen parts. Most items are made from hand-wooven wool.

This armband is called a manikia and is worn on the forearms. It is made from wooven wool and cording is the method used to decorate. Currently, they are sometimes knitted. Also, they are sometimes they are made with dark red wool and decorations in black and silver.

There have been significant decreases in the population of Sarakatsani due to urbanization. Many have willing left; however, others have left because there is not enough open land to support their lifestyle
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

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Citation
Sleeve, 1960s, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/8461. Accessed 03/29/24.